Urgent notice - "Trail Z" Tygerberg

[Headshot]

I've said this before. Land access is a right and privilege which comes with obligations. No entitlement. It's probably in the form of contract. You (rider or club) don't fulfill your obligations, your lose your rights. Nothing to do with being realistic by the land owner. 

 

If inexperienced riders are being caught out by the difficulty of the trail with no alternative, then perhaps (just asking) the onus is on the club to educate (communication), monitor (physically) and mitigate (warning signs at start, water points, etc)?. 

 

Certainly, riders must ride within their ability and stick to the trails.

I don't disagree and I am not panning the land owner. He has simply brought this to the clubs attention and expects them to deal with it. I am simply taking issue with the mob mentality and ranting on FB that the clubs response has evoked. 

 

 If riders are going off track because there is no legal escape route (what if you crash or have a domestic emergency and need to leave in a hurry? ) then perhaps this kind of thing needs to be factored into how trails are designed. Why should access  be lost if, for example,  an injured rider makes his/her way down a farm road to get off the trails? Its an interesting point.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

I don't disagree and I am not panning the land owner. He has simply brought this to the clubs attention and expects them to deal with it. I am simply taking issue with the mob mentality and ranting on FB that the clubs response has evoked. 

 

 If riders are going off track because there is no legal escape route (what if you crash or have a domestic emergency and need to leave in a hurry? ) then perhaps this kind of thing needs to be factored into how trails are designed. Why should access  be lost if, for example,  an injured rider makes his/her way down a farm road to get off the trails? Its an interesting point.

Agreed, but - access in times of emergency should not be equated with the rogue riding. It's a separate issue, IMO. One that needs addressing, sure - but not used as an excuse for rogue riding. 

[Wannabe]

Catch you off guard when the distance and ascent readings are right there at the start of the trail, where it peels off from the main Hoogekraal trail?

 

Dunno about you, but I tend to pay attention to those and gauge just how tired I am before rolling into a trail I'm not familiar with. 

 

Not talking about myself, but about the less prepared one's amongst us.

 

The hype is there, the buddies (the fitter ones) are urging you to go and try "that amazing new Trail Z" at Hoogekraal, you get swept along, and go ride with them, and quickly find out there is a bit of bite to this "amazing new trail". Once down there, there is NO LEGAL ESCAPE, it is either a long slow push, or an even longer and slower and decidedly more painful slog out there.

 

You can't argue that more than a few has been caught out already, and many more is to follow, especially with the long, warm summer days that has finaly arrived.

[Headshot]

Agreed, but - access in times of emergency should not be equated with the rogue riding. It's a separate issue, IMO. One that needs addressing, sure - but not used as an excuse for rogue riding. 

Of course not. Again we have very little to go on in this case. Its just that from afar an injured rider walking or riding slowly off route could just as well be mistaken for a rogue rider, much like someone who has genuinely got lost.

[Thor Buttox]

Not talking about myself, but about the less prepared one's amongst us.

 

The hype is there, the buddies (the fitter ones) are urging you to go and try "that amazing new Trail Z" at Hoogekraal, you get swept along, and go ride with them, and quickly find out there is a bit of bite to this "amazing new trail". Once down there, there is NO LEGAL ESCAPE, it is either a long slow push, or an even longer and slower and decidedly more painful slog out there.

 

You can't argue that more than a few has been caught out already, and many more is to follow, especially with the long, warm summer days that has finaly arrived.

I was just typing don't underestimate the 'It's only 9km and a few 10pm of climbing...'. Even to someone who rides every now and then it doesn't seem like a lot. And a lot more of the exhaustion comes from mam-handling a bike down some trails when you normally ride on tar somewhere. Hubbers generally are not going to be caught out, but even friends of mine I've forced to take a short route on occasion.

[Skubarra]

 

Of course not. Again we have very little to go on in this case. Its just that from afar an injured rider walking or riding slowly off route could just as well be mistaken for a rogue rider, much like someone who has genuinely got lost.

 

Headshot - As you say we got little to go on. But I would think the land owner would have expected the odd soul ending up where he shouldn't be or the occasional medical emergency when he granted access in the first place.

 

The wording is " due to cyclists continuing to explore his farm." - so it is more likely something that is happening frequently and not one isolated incident.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Not talking about myself, but about the less prepared one's amongst us.

 

The hype is there, the buddies (the fitter ones) are urging you to go and try "that amazing new Trail Z" at Hoogekraal, you get swept along, and go ride with them, and quickly find out there is a bit of bite to this "amazing new trail". Once down there, there is NO LEGAL ESCAPE, it is either a long slow push, or an even longer and slower and decidedly more painful slog out there.

 

You can't argue that more than a few has been caught out already, and many more is to follow, especially with the long, warm summer days that has finaly arrived.

 

 

Of course not. Again we have very little to go on in this case. Its just that from afar an injured rider walking or riding slowly off route could just as well be mistaken for a rogue rider, much like someone who has genuinely got lost.

Agreed. 

 

There is a divert being put in that would allow you to go back up to the start to session the one segment, if you so desire. Not sure if that would shorten it significantly, but that would be a good suggestion to the club to avoid that sort of situation. 

[Wannabe]

I was just typing don't underestimate the 'It's only 9km and a few 10pm of climbing...'. Even to someone who rides every now and then it doesn't seem like a lot. And a lot more of the exhaustion comes from mam-handling a bike down some trails when you normally ride on tar somewhere. Hubbers generally are not going to be caught out, but even friends of mine I've forced to take a short route on occasion.

 

And climbing Spykers Hill just to get there, will not make it any easier on you.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

And climbing Spykers Hill just to get there, will not make it any easier on you.

Yeah, it essentially doubles the overall HK trail distance and ascent. 

[Mechanick]

They got lost on purpose?

 

Refer to these comments and you decide it people are getting lost on this trail:

 

MTBeer, on 01 Nov 2016 - 11:01 AM, said:

don't know if you've ridden there Headshot, but it's pretty much impossible to get lost on that trail. There's only one path to follow.

Headshot, on 01 Nov 2016 - 11:11 AM, said:

I just watched a video  of the trail and would agree.... you have to be pretty dumb to go off track by accident.

Is there a dam along the way? Maybe people have been having a rest on the grass? Is that allowed?

 

Lol... Meant they get lost by accident

 

Irrespective of the comments, have you seen for yourself, everyone's opinion differs. Just because one person says its impossible, doesnt mean thats a fact. And another viewing it video... 

 

I am plpaying devils advocate here by the way, not defending anyone.

[capediver]

I just watched a video  of the trail and would agree.... you have to be pretty dumb to go off track by accident. 

 

Is there a dam along the way? Maybe people have been having a rest on the grass? Is that allowed? 

It could have happened on the return loop just after Patrick's Psyco Run...there's a junction at one point with no signage, and what looks like a trail heading off to the right...see video @02:40...https://youtu.be/hoXl_AxCy7U

[Headshot]

 

 

 

Headshot - As you say we got little to go on. But I would think the land owner would have expected the odd soul ending up where he shouldn't be or the occasional medical emergency when he granted access in the first place.

 

The wording is " due to cyclists continuing to explore his farm." - so it is more likely something that is happening frequently and not one isolated incident.

 

Yes indeed - in other words the owner probably has a realistic view of the whole exercise, but i would not go as far as to say the words you ascribe to him mean what you say. Did he ask the riders if they were exploring? It is far more likely just a turn of phrase to describe his seeing riders somewhere off route. Maybe he saw one rider last week and another this week? 

 

Basically the club should get a detailed report from him or his employees and put that out there, rather than vague statements that are subject to interpretation. 

[Skubarra]

Maybe he saw one rider last week and another this week? 

 

 

If that is all it takes to set him off then I fail to understand why he would have allowed the club access to his property in the first place and we are doomed to loose the trail anyway.

 

I'll stick with my assumption that we have a number of naughty riders not sticking to the trails. Something I have seen a few times on the Tygerberg Trails

[Formallyknownas]

Amazing that these threads are ALWAYS about Western Cape based riders. What's wrong with you kaapies other than the obvious. :ninjathing:

[Mechanick]

Yes indeed - in other words the owner probably has a realistic view of the whole exercise, but i would not go as far as to say the words you ascribe to him mean what you say. Did he ask the riders if they were exploring? It is far more likely just a turn of phrase to describe his seeing riders somewhere off route. Maybe he saw one rider last week and another this week? 

 

Basically the club should get a detailed report from him or his employees and put that out there, rather than vague statements that are subject to interpretation. 

 

I agree, has anyone stopped and asked the riders why and what they were doing there (i.e. injury or exploring)? One needs to understand the root cause for the club and owner to make a proper decision how to tackle the situation.

[MTBeer]

Amazing that these threads are ALWAYS about Western Cape based riders. What's wrong with you kaapies other than the obvious. :ninjathing:

guess you don't have much of a problem on the gravel roads you okes up north ride...